The Tower Room
by MarieLewis
Summary: Ginny takes Harry to a secret haunt of hers shortly after they start dating...
1. There

**Disclaimer: Etc..**

**_A/N: RE-POST! Damn those typos to Hades and back!_  
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"Are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am. Where's your sense of adventure, Harry?"

"Back there with my breath!"

"It isn't my fault you can't run as fast as I can!"

"Shh! Someone will hear! And besides, I _can_ run as fast as you can, you just caught me by surprise when you yanked me down this- this... where are we exactly?"

"We're in one of the towers, the smaller ones, not the Astronomy Tower... I'm not sure which one, but at the top, there's a window that looks out on the lake."

Harry nodded, turning to trudge up yet another flight of stairs, "How did you find the entrance?"

"I erm, sort of tripped into it... a month or two ago."

It sounded like Ginny was blushing, but it was too dark for Harry to be sure.

"You've known about it for a month and you're only showing me now?"

He wasn't really offended, but he did wonder.

Ginny snorted, "And just how many nooks and crannies in this castle do you know about that you haven't shared with me?"

Harry squeezed her hand, "I think you've seen most of them by now," he said, his lips splitting in a mischievous grin.

Ginny's free hand punched his arm, "Don't be too proud of yourself, I knew about more than half of the ones you dragged me into."

Harry scowled momentarily, " S'not my fault you have so much more experience with-"

"Finding snogging corners?" she said, her tone lofty, "And it isn't my fault you used all of your secret hide outs for exploring with Ron and Hermione."

Harry rolled his eyes, "I don't 'explore' with them, we just get into... things."

"You three look for trouble, if half the things I hear are true anyway."

Harry shrugged, "How much longer?" He could spot a bit of light up ahead, but they were only half way up the fourth stair way.

"This is the last flight," replied Ginny, panting a little.

It was a hot and sweaty journey, but once they reached the top, all thoughts of sore feet and strained leg muscles flew from Harry's mind.

"Whoa."

Ginny grinned up at him, "It _is_ pretty neat," she commented proudly, releasing his hand to cross to the other side of the flagstone floor where a worn, blue blanket was laid out in one corner of the room.

"I come here sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed. O.W.L.'s are a lot more work than I figured."

Harry trailed after her, turning in circles and taking in the tower room.

The room was entirely circular, with four huge windows with sills big enough to sit on directly across from each other, all of them looking out over the grounds.

"This is brilliant, Ginny, really brilliant."

Harry dropped his bag on the blanket beside Ginny's, "You stumbled up here?"

This time he did see her blush. Chilly air filtered through an open window, she rubbed her arms up and down as she answered. "I sort of tripped," she admitted, the tips of her ears pink.

"You...tripped," said Harry doubtfully, "I never figured you for a klutz, Weasley."

"I'm not. And what makes you think I tripped all on my own? Maybe I was so busy snogging somebody I couldn't be bothered to watch where I was going," she retorted, no real heat in her voice.

Harry settled onto his side, using his elbow to support his upper body, "Perhaps... but that just makes the person you were snogging an idiot."

Ginny matched his position, one eyebrow raised, "Oh? How so?"

"If he were any good at snogging and walking at the same time, you wouldn't have tripped," said Harry as though it were obvious.

Ginny chortled, flipping over onto her stomach leaning her chin into her upturned palms, "_Perhaps _we were both so deep in the throws of passion-"

"Alright, alright," laughed Harry, raising a hand in defense, "You win."

Ginny beamed, "I always do." She reached out to grab her bag, rummaging through it and pulling out her homework.

The sun shone on Ginny's hair, the red strands fairly glinting in the light, Harry stared at her unabashedly.

As if she could feel the heat of his gaze on the top of her head, she looked up, "What?" she asked, bemused.

Harry shook his head, shifting closer to her and laying flat on his back, Ginny's hair was long enough to brush against the side of his face, he tugged at a lock of hair, "You're beautiful," he murmured, sliding his thumb over the the piece of hair he held.

Ginny's face burned red, "You flatter me," she muttered pulling her hair from his grasp and settling down with her Transfiguration text and two-foot long piece of parchment for her notes.

"It's the truth." Harry insisted, his stomach turning in little flops every time her hair swayed against his skin. "Cross my heart," he added, laughing a little.

Ginny lifted her head, the redness had receded a little, "Cross your heart?"

Harry chuckled and completed the morbid swear, "Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."

Ginny's brown eyes widened, "What sort of promise is that?" she asked incredulously, "Sounds like something Crabbe and Goyle would come up with."

"Those two are too thick to speak in full sentences, let alone make up a rhyme," snorted Harry, "It's a muggle swear."

Ginny's expression remained one of incredulity and confusion.

"Like when wizards say, 'I swear by Merlin's wand' or 'I give you my word as a wizard', you know, that sort of thing." Harry clarified.

Ginny's hair swung passed his face as she shook her head, and the smell of wild flowers filled Harry's nose.

"So it's sort of like an oath?"

Harry nodded.

She twirled the feather of her quill around her chin, "How interesting, I should write it out and send it to Dad." Ginny giggled, no doubt picturing the look of utter joy on Mr. Weasley's face when he read her letter.

On impulse, Harry slipped his arms behind him, lifted his torso, and, bringing his face close to Ginny's, kissed her.

Seconds passed, minutes.

Ginny's arms were wrapped tightly around his shoulders, the fingers of one hand tangled in the hair at the back of his head. Her homework lay forgotten beside them, note-covered pieces of parchments crinkled by their movement.

They broke apart for air, their foreheads pressed tightly together and heavy breaths washing over each others faces.

Harry grinned, his chest rising and falling at a steadier pace, he rubbed his fingers lightly in back and forth motions on her back, the edges of her hair tickling the back of his hand.

Too soon, Ginny pulled away. Well, not exactly _away_, more like rearranged herself in Harry's grip.

She sat with her back pressed against his chest and his knees on either side of her, both of them watching as the sun slid across the sky, casting shadows over them.

"It's so peaceful up here," Ginny murmured, her head, a comfortable weight on Harry's shoulder.

"Yeah," agreed Harry, lacing his fingers together over her stomach and pressing his lips to the side of her head. "We should come up here more often."

Ginny snorted, turning her head a bit to narrow her eyes at him, "If we start coming up here together, I doubt I'll be getting much homework done."

Harry made a sound of sympathy, laying one of his legs flat, "There is that... But I could help, you know. It's not just Hermione that knows how to study."

"Oh? Well that's news to me," replied Ginny, she brought her lips to the underside of his jaw, pressing her lips against the slightly scratchy skin there, "That's very nice of you, Harry, but you've got a lot on your plate already."

_Dumbledore's lessons_... She didn't know what they were about, of course, but Harry did tell her he had them. Not to mention the detentions with Snape.

Harry sighed, "I guess... I'll still try though. Better than not spending time with you at all," he grumbled.

Ginny pat his thigh, "There is next year, you know," she said lightly, "And the summer."

Harry tried not to squirm, being with Ginny was great, but... somehow, Harry got the feeling that despite his best efforts, circumstances beyond their control would drag them apart.

Right now seemed to be the calm before the storm. Something was bound to happen eventually. Nothing that was good lasted for long.

Sirius, Remus teaching defense, the Quidditch World Cup, even the Triwizard Tournament, bad enough he had to compete in the first place, had taken a turn for the worse.

His feelings for Ginny aside, their relationship seemed too good to be true. Just as Sirius' offer back in third year.

Harry hadn't told Ginny, of course. Somehow, admitting his fears just made it all the more real. He didn't want things to end with Ginny, not ever, but when had Harry ever got what he'd wanted?

"I- yeah, yeah we have loads of time."

"Harry-" Ginny tried to shift away, but Harry gripped her tighter.

"If Snape doesn't try to make me continue detention next year, that is," he rushed to add, trying to turn the subject away from whatever Ginny had wanted to say.

He could see Ginny's eyebrows draw together, but she settled back against his chest anyway, stroking the backs of his hands where they still rested on her stomach.

"Yeah, it'll be fine... we'll be fine."

_Not Long After..._

The sun had sunk far passed the wide, rectangular window, the top of the tower was almost as dark as the passageway and stair case that led up to it.

A boy with burdens much greater than any man's stood with his hands braced against the sill, his face devoid of any emotion except grim determination.

A light breeze ruffled the top of his unruly, black hair, and a tear ran, unchecked, down his cheek.

But no more followed.

Harry Potter turned away from the window, his overly bright, green eyes sweeping over the tower room.

A worn, blue blanket laid out in a corner, a broken quill, a hair tie, candy wrappers, crumpled bits of parchment, and many a sweet memory, were all that remained.

**.**

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><p><em>AN: This came totally out of no where... Honestly. Reviews are lovely! And if there is any pairing you'd like to see, you can check my other one-shots, pm me, or check my LiveJournal and/or Twitter profiles. You can find my username on my profile. _

_Thank you!_

_-Marie_


	2. And Back Again

_**Disclaimer: etc...**  
><em>

_And Back Again_

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><p>"Harry and I used to come up here... when we were-"<p>

Neville nodded, resting a hand on Ginny's shoulder, "They'll be back Ginny."

His words were hollow, but she appreciated the effort.

Ginny sniffed, swiping her palms over her cheeks as she turned away from the window.

"Alright,"she said bracingly, smiling tremulously at Neville and Luna, "What are we going to do about those Death Eaters?"

Neville's lips twisted grimly, "First, we need a place to hide. It can't be up here though... It has to be some place they can't follow us into."

Luna gasped.

Both Ginny and Neville went for their wands.

Luna crouched at the edge of a blue blanket, one hand clasped over her mouth, the other reaching for a small gold coin that lay forgotten on the sheet.

"Of course,"Ginny breathed.

Neville strode to Luna's side, "The Room of Requirement. Brilliant, Luna, absolutely brilliant!"

"Thank you, Neville. Really, we should have thought of it before, it's probably all of the wackspurts around the Carrows clouding our thinking."

Ginny lifted herself onto the window sill, grinning at her friends, "Must be,"she agreed, "But our thinking can't be clouded anymore, we have to act smart."She pursed her lips, "And help Harry."

Luna and Neville nodded solemnly.

"You don't have to be with them to help, Ginny,"said Luna softly, "You can help by protecting Hogwarts. We can all help."

Ginny swallowed passed the lump forming in her throat, Luna was right. Moaning about not being out there with Harry and Ron and Hermione wasn't going to do any good.

"Let's make those galleons."Neville raised his wand, Ginny and Luna following suit.

"I think I've got the charm right, but we'll see, eh?"said Neville, conjuring a small box just large enough for three stacks of ten galleons.

"And the Protean Charm?"asked Ginny, suddenly afraid they might not be able to make the coins without Hermione's brilliant spell work.

"Oh, I've got that,"chimed Luna brightly, "I'm not in Ravenclaw for nothing you know."

0000

Harry's eyes watered and the tips of his nose and ears burned in the cold, he tightened his arms over his chest in an effort to gain warmth, but it was of little use.

They had moved again... and again, and again, and again.

His body quaked beneath multiple layers of clothing, his breath came out in frosty pants.

Harry wished he were inside the tent with Hermione, buried beneath mountains of sheets on his bunk. But somebody had to keep watch, and Harry didn't think Hermione would be able to stay up much longer, especially since she spent most nights crying instead of getting sleep.

Not that he blamed her. How could he?

Sometimes curling up in his bunk and sobbing like a baby seemed more appealing than trudging on day after day.

He missed Ron... terribly.

But even more than that, he missed Ginny.

Ginny with her fiery hair and sparkling brown eyes. Her warm hands and understanding looks. Her hugs and sweet kisses. The Tower Room. _Their_ Tower Room.

Harry bowed his head against the wind, clapping mitten clad palms over his ears.

A tear would have froze on his cheek, but he scrubbed his face against his knee before it could.

"Bloody warming charms are useless,"grumbled Harry, shifting to pick up Hermione's wand and casting yet another warming charm over himself.

"They aren't."

Harry whipped around, Hermione's wand held aloft, his mouth open, and a curse on his lips.

It went to show just how tense he was that he didn't recognize Hermione's voice.

She stood just outside the doorway, a blanket around her shoulders and thick socks on her feet. Her face still held that same pinched look from lack of sleep and stress, and her usually bushy hair was plaited tightly.

Harry turned away from her, crossing his arms to bury his hands in his armpits, trying and failing to warm his fingertips.

"Yeah, well..."

Hermione came to sit beside him, crossing her legs and tucking her feet beneath her thighs, "You have to concentrate on them. You can't just say the words and expect to get warm."

Harry rolled his eyes, "What else am I to expect?"

Hermione tsked, holding her hand out for her wand, "Let me,"she said kindly.

Grudgingly, Harry passed it over.

"_Calor Tepidus_,"she murmured, waving her wand over Harry.

Heat trickled up Harry's spine, spreading throughout his body and settling inside him like a blanket.

Harry let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.

"Better?"asked Hermione, her tone a bit smug.

Harry smiled ruefully, "Yeah... I suppose I should put the charm on before I come outside. It's hard to focus when your arse is about to freeze off."

Hermione shivered in her quilt, Harry frowned. "You can charm me but you can't charm yourself?"

Hermione's cheeks colored, "I erm... I didn't have my wand."She cast the warming charm over herself quickly, her eyes turned downward.

Harry bit the inside of his lip, "Look, Hermione, it wasn't your fault. You know that."

Hermione sniffed, a tear dripped onto her lap, she covered her face with her hands.

Harry sighed heavily and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She cried onto his jumper, her breath hitching in her chest and little whimpers escaping her mouth every few breaths.

Picking up Hermione's wand from beside her knee, he wrapped his other arm around her, and pulled her closer.

She sniffled against his shoulder, Harry rubbed her back in small circles, "It's alright, Hermione."

He didn't sound very convincing to his own ears, so he probably didn't sound very convincing to hers either.

She moved her arms until they were between them and gripped his outer most jumper... a Weasley jumper.

"I k-keep telling myself that,"she whispered against his shoulder, "But every time I say it, things just -"She broke off as her shoulders began to shake again. Harry slid one hand up to cradle the back of her head, using the other to continue rubbing her back.

He couldn't say anything, couldn't do anything else to comfort her, except pat her back and hug her tighter.

Nothing would be alright. Things hadn't been for a while.

"I- I miss R-Ron,"Hermione mumbled, her voice so feeble Harry had to lean in closer to hear her.

"So do I, Hermione."

Harry rest his chin on the top of Hermione's head, hoping to God that somehow, things would start looking up.

0000

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Ginny leaned against a window sill, facing Harry.

Harry closed the door to the tower room behind him, "Yeah..."

Ginny hoisted herself onto the sill, the stones cold against her thighs more uncomfortable than it would have been had she been wearing jeans instead of Quidditch tights. Quidditch games in the fall were always a bother. Especially because it had been windy and wet all day long.

"I wish you had told me you were coming,"said Ginny, turning sideways to lean against the wall, she tapped her finger nails on the window's cool, glass pane.

Harry cleared his throat and picked at the hem of his jumper, "I er, wasn't sure I was coming,"he muttered gruffly, picking on a loose thread.

The wind made whistling noises through the crack in one of the windows, a cold draft brought goosebumps up on Ginny's skin, but she didn't get up to close it. Ignoring the fact that she was wearing nothing but her Quidditch jersey and the tight slacks from her Quidditch uniform, Ginny crossed her arms over her chest and glared out the window at the black lake.

She heard Harry move, then a snap as he shut the window.

Sometimes, Harry was the most insufferable man in the world.

Ginny grit her teeth, everything had been going fine before she'd left for school again.

He'd stayed at the Burrow with them, they had worked through the grief and bridged the gap born from their break up, all the pain and the scars from the past year, Harry had promised he'd write, and so he had. But now?

Ginny drew in a shuddering breath, an irrational bubble of anger swelling in her chest.

"You didn't have to come if you didn't want to,"she said tightly, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

She heard Harry sigh from across the room.

"Ginny, it isn't-"

Something snapped inside her, "_What_! It isn't _what_?"she demanded, sliding from her perch and advancing on Harry.

Harry's mouth dropped open, and somehow, that just made her all the more angry.

"You know, Harry, you didn't have to come. When I mentioned the match in my letter, it wasn't some sly way to get you to- to-"Ginny blew out a shuddering breath, pacing back and forth in an effort to calm herself... well, calm herself enough to speak in coherent sentences.

"Look, Harry, you don't have to be with me if you don't want to. My family, they'll still love you. This isn't some sort of sick... _thing _to keep everyone happy."Ginny's voice rose toward the end, and she whirled around, turning away from Harry, and staring out the window.

"Ginny,"Harry's voice was pleading, "I- I'm not with you for your family, it's not- we-"

Harry ran his hands through his hair frustratedly, "Listen, it's just,"he scrubbed his face with his hands, pressing the heels of his hands to his palm, "Ginny, it's this place. Hogwarts."

The fury drained out of Ginny like someone had popped her balloon of anger with a needle, she went to Harry, placing her hands on his upper arms, "Harry..."

He shook his head, slipping his hands from his eyes to his hair, "Being here... with everyone laughing and smiling, it's like- like, nothing ever happened. And then I look around, and I see the missing faces, the lingering grief, the castle..."

Ginny slid her hands over his shoulders, wrapping her arms around him, "I know,"she whispered, Harry's arms slid around her waist, gripping her tightly, "It was hard for me too... when I first came back."

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Ginny,"he murmured quietly, "I thought if I just came...then-"

Ginny closed her eyes, trailing her hand up and down the back of his neck, sifting her fingers through the hair at his nape, "You should have told me,"she chided gently, "You don't need to bottle things up all the time, not anymore. I'm here. Ron, Hermione... Merlin knows Mum would love to have another reason to coddle you."

Her attempt at humor did not fall flat for Harry chuckled slightly.

"It's hard sometimes, to remember that things are different now,"he said, his voice muffled by her Quidditch jersey. "I forget that I haven't any reason to hide things anymore, not from you, Ron, Hermione, and your family..."

Ginny lifted her head from his shoulder, "I'm sorry I shouted at you,"she murmured.

Harry smiled down at her, "It's really my fault, I've been acting like an arse."

"I should have realised-"

"I should have told you."

Rain pattered against the windows, the wind was now so strong it fairly and Harry stood in the middle of the tower room, their arms wrapped around each other and their lips pressed together.

When they came up for air, Harry's hands were on either side of Ginny's head, his forehead pressed against hers.

"This is why I came,"breathed Harry, touching his lips to hers softly, "To see you, I missed you."

Ginny's arms were wrapped around his waist, her hands on the space between his shoulder blades, "I missed you too,"she said quietly, watching as Harry's gaze flickered between her lips and her eyes, she counted the milliseconds before he kissed her again.

Then, her mind went blissfully blank, the only thing she could feel were Harry's fingers caressing her face, and the movement of his lips against hers.

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><p><em>AN: Two-Shot complete :) Let me know if there is any pairing in particular that you'd like to see. You can find my LiveJournal and Twitter account IDs on my profile page._

_Thanks everyone!_

_-Marie_


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